Apparatus for continuously processing webs of flexible material



June'lS, 1965 sc E 3,188,948

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOU SLY PROCESSING WEBS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL Filed.April 10, 1963 v 3 Sheets-Sheet I KURT FISCHER. 5 9i KARL MARBACH INVENTOR June 15, 1965 s ETAL 3,188,948

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUQUSLY PROCESSING-WEBS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL Filed April 10, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 KURT FISCHER KARL MARBACH INVENTOR BY Jlubrl, in; 6' Jlu m APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PROCESSING WEBS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL Filed April 10, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 KURT FISCHER KARL MARBACH INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofiice Patented June 15, E3655 3,188,948 APPARATEJS FGE QONTENUUUSLY PRQCESSENG WERE OF FLEXiBLE MATERHAL Kurt Fischer, Stuttgart-Wangen, and Karl Marhaeh, Heih bronn (Neclrar), Germany, assignors to Heinrich Hermann, Stuttgart-i /angen, Germany, a corporation of Germany Fiied Apr. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 272,162 iairns priority, application Germany, Apr. 11, 1962,

H 45,431/62 1 Qlairn. (Cl. rat-hrs} Our present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for continuously processing webs of flexible material and, more particularly, to improvements in the continuous treatment of substantially continuous sheet material, such as paper, cardboard, metallic and syntheticresin foils, fabric and similar weblike materials.

In the continuous treatment of such materials by conventional apparatus for printing, embossing, stamping, scoring etc., a rotatable cylindrical processing drum is he quently rolled over the web. Since the entire periphery of this drum must be provided with the treating surface (e.g. embossing formations, printing rust or inlcand dyetransfer face), considerable difiiculties with regard to the drum are encountered. When, for example, the processing element is in the form of a yieldable plate of netal, rubber or synthetic resin, it is difficult to attach the plate securely to the drum unless attachment zones are provided along the periphery. Failure to employ such zones generally results in the breaking away of the plate during use. The 20 es are, however, free from treatment surfaces so that their use is only satisfactory when the pattern to be transferred to the web can be interrupted periodically without difiiculty. It will be appreciated that this is not commonly the case. Permanent-type bonding, e.g. with cements, has been resorted to without great success since replacement of the working element is then possible only with considerable difliculty, if at all. The direct formation of the working surface on the drum (i.e. by etching, machining, grinding or the like) is also disadvantageous as a consequence of the high cost and diiiiculties involved in precisely adjusting the working surface for proper treatment of the web.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved method of and apparatus for applying continuous patterns to webs of flexible heet material and, in general, to treat these webs in a continuous manner with ease.

Another object of our invention is to provide apparatus for continuous treatment of webs wherein the working element can be adjusted conveniently, is interchangeable with others and is firmly but releasably secured without danger of seif-dislocation.

Yehanother object of this invention is to provide a system for continuously processing webs of flexible material which is adaptable to treatments of many types, ineluding impregnating, printing, embossing, stamping, incising, scoring and the like and, in fact, substantially any treatment making use of a displaceable treatment surface.

These objects and others which will become apparent h reinafter are attained, in accordance with the instant invention, by continuously displacing a flexible web (eg. a metallic or nonmetallic sheet material) past a processing station and concurrently displacing annularly a proccssing surface in the direction of displacement of the web. The present improvement involves the contacting of the web by the surface of at least two locations spaced along the respective paths of the surface and the web while diverting the web away from the surface intermediate these locations. The diverted web forms a loop and has a path length between the contact locations which is advantageously equal to an integral number of peripheral lengths of the closed surface. If, in general, the surface is provided with a working element only along a fraction of its periphery, the following relationship may be noted:

n where C is the total peripheral length or circumference of the surface, S is the length of the working element or face and n is the number of treatment locations. If

portion of the web bypassed by the nontreating portion of the surface at a first location is to be treated by the worming element at a second or successive location, the path of the web intermediate these locations and, consequently, 1e total length of the loop therebetween should equal substantially I.n.S or LC, where I is an integer (l, 2....

Preferably, the processing surface is the periphery of a rotatable drum upon which the Working element is affixed. When two treatment locations are provided, these may be diametrically opposed with respect to the diameter of the drum. In any event, it is desirable to equispace the locations about the periphery of the drum and to provide at each location a respective counterroller, in osculating or tangential relationship with the drum periphery, for urging the web thercagainst or supporting it against this periphery. The apparatus should also include guide means for deflecting the web away from the periphery of the rum. Such guide means may include at least one roller disposed intermediate each pair of successive locations and displaceable relatively to the drum and the respective counterroller to permit adjustment of the length of the web loop deflected away from the drum.

Since this arrangement permits the continuous treatment of the web in spite of the fact that the working element only occupies a fraction of the drum periphery, this element can be releasably secured to the drum along marginal zones which do not interrupt the continuous pattern. Various working elements can be interchanged with ease and the use of yieldable plates and the like can be made to advantage. As a consequence of the fact that the web is deflected away from the drum periphery, it is possible to carry out multiple treatment with the aid of several working elements if desired. Thus, a first pattern can be imprinted during a pass of the web through two such spaced locations with the imprinting medium permitted to dry. Another working clement, carried by the same drum and offset from the first can then be used to imprint a second color or pattern upon the dried pattern of an earlier imprinting. Other combinations, i.e. printing followed by embossing, stamping or scoring; impregnation followed by printing; printing or embossing followed by coating etc., are also possible.

When the device is used for stamping and/or embossing, the working element can consist of a relatively thin, yield able and bendable metal plate upon which the embossing formations are integrally provided. This plate can be releasably mounted upon the periphery of the drum by conventional tensioning means and can span the drum over an are equal substantially to the peripheral spacing between processing locations. In addition, the apparatus can advantageously be provided with respective supply means for a treating material disposed adjacent the periphery of the drum rearwardly of each of the processing locations in the sense of rotation of the drum. Such supply means can be positioned within the loop formed by the web and may include a reservoir for a coloring agent as well as means for applying this agent to the Working element upon passage thereof past the supply means.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apwith the invention;

FIG. 4 is another elevational view, partly in section, showing a multiple-treatment apparatus;

FIG. 5 isa fragmentary view taken along line VV of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI VI of FIG. 5.

In FIG. 1 we show the usual processing drum 1 upon whose periphery a working element 2, such as a printing plate, embossing die, stamp or another type of patterning surface, is removably .tensioned by conventional mounting means. The drum 1 can be rotated onits shaft 1' by a drive meansincluding a sprocket-20 and a chain 21; A

pair of diametrically opposite counter-rollers 3 are dis posed adjacent the drum and osculate the drum. f Theworkpiece, a web 4 of paper, cardboard or the like, passes over a first counterroller 3, whereby it engages the drum. 1

at a first processing location A, and then between the drum and the other processing roller 3 at treatment locatraverse by the embossing and B, respectively. 7 A driving posed between this element and the drum periphery, no specific requirements as to the diameter of counterrollers 3 need be observed. In FIG. 2, however, the counterrollers 30, disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the drum 1a, carry cushions 7a which form'working elements co-operating with the embossing plate 2a. The resilient support for this plate may then be dispensed with. The counterrollers 3a are now provided with essentially the same diameter as drum 1a so that the co-operating elements 7a, whose arc length is equal to that of the embossing plate 2a, register therewith throughout each plate of processing locations A motor 22a is provided to rotate the 'counterrollers 3m in senses opposite that of drum 111 but with the identical peripheral and angular speeds. A guide means 5, 5', adjustable as previously described, is also provided. 1

In FIG. 3 we show a printing apparatus whose processing station includes a drum 1b upon Whose periphery is mounted'a printing plate 2b of the usual type. The Web 4b, e.g. of fabric or the like, passes over a first counterroller 3b which urges this web against the drum 1b at a first processing location A. A deflecting roller 5b tion B. The rollers 3 are provided with sprockets 3' encircled by chain 21, so that a motor 22 coupled with one of the shafts of the rollers and drum can drivethev oounterrollers 3 in a sense opposite to the sense of rotation of drum 1 but at the. identical peripheral speed. To this end the sprockets 3 have smaller diametersthan sprockets 20. in conformity with the reduced diameter of the counterrollers 3. V V 7 Along the lower portion of the drum 1, the web 4 forms a loop defined by guide means consisting of a pair of spaced rollers 5, 5 which, like the counterr'olle'rs 3 and the drum 1, are journaled in a support plate 23. As previously described, the guide rollers 5, 5' serve to deflect the web 4 away from the drum 1 intermediate the processdraws the web away from the drum 1b and, together with another roller 5b, loops the web as previously discussed.

The Web then passes between another counterroller 3b" and the drum 1b at processing location B. The loop has a length equal to twice the circumference (2C) of the drum 1b in accordance with the foregoing relationship. Adjusting means is provided to permit the position of roller 5b to be varied in accordance with the desired loop length. Since the working surface 212 imprints the fabric web twice during each rotation of the drum 1b, two supply devices are provided for transferring a coloring agent such as a dye or ink to this working surface. Each of these supply'means includes a reservoir 9 for, say, an aniline, dye which is picked up by a frictionally driven rubber-surface roller 8 and carried onto the surface'of a ing locations and form from the web a loop whose path length is equal to the product of an integer and the circumference of the drum. To control the length of this loop, we provide means for adjusting the position of at least one of these rollers (i.e., roller 5) relative to the other roller 5', to the counterrollers 3 and/or to the drum 1 This adjusting means may, for example, include an elongated slot 24, provided in support plate 23, in which the bearing block 25 of the roller 5 can be shifted in the direction of arrow 6. Any conventionallocking means or displacing means, such as a threaded-sleeve-and-screw arrangement can be provided for securing the block 25 in its predetermined position and for displacing it along the slot 24. a

With the apparatus in the position shown in FIG. 1, the

work element 2, which can be a sheet-metal-stamping or embossing plate yieldably carried on a resiliently corripressible supportinglayer interposed between it and the drum 1, is about to impress a pattern upon a length of web at the processing location A. The portion of web between the points A and C, previously drawn between the drum and the input counterroller, has not been im= printed while that portion between the points C and B has been impressed'during' the previous full revolution of druml. A rotation of the drum 1 by half-a revolution now will bring the point C into coincidence with'point B just as the work element 2-is about-to commenceopera tion at this processing location. 'It is,clea-rgtherefore, that'the loop of web between the processing locationscan' {have a length equal to any integral number'of circum ferences of the drum 1. i

Since the cushioning or mounting 'means forthe Working element 2 of the arrangementshown in FIG. 1. is distransfer roller 10 which applies the dye to the work plate 211. It should be noted that one of the supply means is disposed, conveniently, within the loop formed by the guide means 51), 5b. A conventional chain-and-sprocket drive can be provided for rotating the drum 1b, the counterrollers 3b", 3b" and the color-transfer rollers 10 with the proper peripheral speeds andin the appropriate sense. In each of the arrangements shown in FIGS. 1-3 the respective guide rollers have a common tangential plane with the drum 1,1a, 1b which is inclined outwardly with respectto thercorn mon tangential plane of the drum and the respective.counterrollers at the processing locations A and B sothat the web contacts the processing surface substantially only along a generatrix of the drum at each location A or B and surface contact is minimized.

The loop length can be so selected as to insure partial or complete drying of a first application-to the web prior to its passage into a successive treating location. In general, it is not necessary for the work element 2, 2a or 2b to occupy half of the drum periphery. An arrangement wherein the treating surface occupies only one-third of this periphery is shown in FIG. 4. In any. event, the number of c-ounterrollers should equal the number of segments into which, the circumference of thedrum is divided.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 4 comprises a supportv plate 230 which carries a' supply roll 260 of a synthetic-resin foil 4c to be embossed The foil or web 4c passes between the three angula'rly equispaced counter- -rollers 3c and the drum lcwhose working surface 2c occupies only one third of the circumference of the drum. he guide means between the counterrollers 3c can consist'of a single roller 5c, which can be shifted in a slot adjustable roller The embossing the drum 10 y ly positioned on opposite sides of an 50" ascan be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Plate can be rcmovably fixed to countersunk screws 27 passing through openings provided in clamping bars 28 overlying marginal positions of the embossing plate 20. Spring means and/or other tensioning devices, known per se, may also be provided. The embossing formations 29 are integral with the plate 20 and can be drawn or pressed therefrom (FIG. 6). The yieldable sheet-metal plate 20 can be mounted on a resilient cushion 30 although such a cushion can be avoided if the counterroller 3c ca-rries a co-operating element 31 of a resiliently compressible or relatively soft material permitting the embossing formation 29 to impress the foil 4c. This co-operating plate 31 can be composed of a synthetic resin, rubber or a similar material. In the event that the impression is insufficiently deep in certain regions of the pattern, shims 32 or 33, composed advantageously of thin paper, can be interposed between the respective mounting element 30 or 31 and the periphery of drum 1c or 3c, respectively. The plate 20 can be relatively thin, having for example a thickness of 0.6-1.5 mm. Shims of the aforementioned type can also be used to compensate for wear of the embossing element.

The invention described and illustrated is believed to admit of many modifications within the ability of persons skilled in the art, all such modifications being considered within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

We claim: An apparatus for the continuous imprinting of a continuously moving web of flexible material, comprising:

a rotatable cylinder having an outer surface; a thin, flexible plate stamped from a flat sheet and provided with an imprinting face; cushioning means underlying and forming a resilient backing for said plate; fastening means removably positioning said plate along an are on a portion of the cylinder outer surface;

shim means interposed between the plate and the outer surface for selectively altering the radius of curvature of the plate for adjustment of the imprinting depth produced by the imprinting face on the material;

at least two counterrollers at angularly spaced positions adjacent the cylinder outer surface for supporting the material upon imprinting as it passes between the cylinder and the counterrollers;

guide rollers between said positions engaging the material to deflect it from these positions along a path whose length is substantially equal to the product of an integer and the circumference of the cylinder, said positions and counterrollers being equal in number to the ratio of said circumference to said arc; and

adjustment means for altering the location of the guide rollers with respect to said plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 212,880 3/79 Anthony et al. 270-18 263,747 9/82 Anthony 101-221 314,556 3/8'5 Anthony 101-2'21 X 963,203 7/10 Boyce 101-221 X 1,152,393 9/15 Brown 101-23 1,444,779 2/23 Clark 101-23 1,898,362 2/33 Gollwitzer 101-376 2,206,620 7/40 Schwartz 101-181 X 2,375,451 5/45 Waters 101-228 X 2,746,387 5/56 Neumann 101-155 2,816,025 12/57 Dahlberg 101-23 X 35 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. 

